Back to Shenandoah National Park

I returned to the Shenanadoah national Park last Saturday on another picture perfect hiking day. Temps were in the 70's to start, rising to the mid eighties later in the day. The humidity was mercifully absent and the skies were almost cloudless. I stopped at the Dickey ridge visitor center to get some pics. I had two fawns playing in the field come running up to me every time I started walking. This did not seem to be thrilling their mothers too much, who were nervously eying them and the distance to me.
I had decided to take on the Knob Mountain Jeremys Run loop which I had considered a couple of weeks ago before heading to Mexico for a nice mini vacation with my wife. I postponed the hike then to spend more time with the boys. The loop is just over 12 miles long, and I was looking forward to a good long hike. The start and finish is at the Elkwallow picnic grounds near milepost 24 on the Skyline Drive.
The hike started out with a steady, and sometimes, fairly steep decent into a hollow below the picnic area. there was a cool enough breeze to almost warrant longer pants, but I warmed up quickly. The first thing I noticed was that the foliage was lush and that the woods seemed to have wonderful moist smell. I had seen that rains had been through the night before. We sure could have used them closer to home. Anyway, there was some nice switchbacks heading down, but I knew i would pay the price later that day when I had to come back up the hollowafter 12 miles of hiking.
At the bottom of the hollow, I veered off onto the Knob Mountain Cutoff Trail. I crossed Jeremys Run for the first of what would be about 15 crossings that day. The trail immediately started to climb sharply out of the hollow and up Knob Mountain. The trail was well maintained and blazed. Footing was generally good, with just a few loose areas. The breeze was a welcome friend now as I was breaking a pretty good sweat. After the steady climbing, I made my way to the actual Knob Mountain Trail. This trail is just over two miles to the summit of Knob Mountain. It is a steady climb but nice enough not to cause undo stress. The trail is well packed and with good footing. Views are evident along the way, but obscured due to foliage. It is probably quite beautiful during the colder months. I was just starting to wonder when I would reach the summit when I came across a marker notifying me of just that measurement..a welcome sign at that point. As I ascended the last bit to the summit I was greeted by shouts of "Hiker up"!! Three hikers were taking a breather at the summit, as was my plans. We talked for about fifteen minutes, discussing the trail and other trails hiked. I felt very connected to them as I spoke of my hiking adventures. My knowledge of the trails seemed respected and common to them, and I had a wonderful sense of camaraderie with them. we egged each other on to future challenges and parted our ways. Great rest stop! I had made the summit by 10:30 am.
From the summit of Knob Mountain, the trail begins a gradual and steady decent. Some areas were loose footing , but over all the going was pretty good. I stopped about midway down as I was amid a wonderful patch of rip blueberries. The stop offered a very nice view of Luray to the south with the Massanutten mountains close by. Off to the left rose Neighbor Mountain , and I began to consider doing an extended hike along the Neighbor Mountain Trail. I decided to postpone my decision until I made Jeremys run at the bottom of the mountain. I was making good time.
The decent continued, with numerous well placed switchbacks dotting the way. It became steep in some spots. Finally, I came to Jeremys Run right at noon. I had made it to roughly the half way point. I found a fabulous little stopping point along Jeremys run. Flat rocks and a nice swimming area was just the ticket. I had a brought a change of clothing and towel and was soon cooling of in some wonderfully cool water. I lingered at the spot for just over thirty minutes and was again on my way.
Almost immediately I was at the junction for the Neighbor Mountain Trail. I felt pretty good, but decided to continue with the planned route and stay to the Jeremys Run Trail. I was not really up for another 1000+ ft. ascent after lounging around the swiming hole for the past half hour. The Jeremys run Trail was a beautiful hike along the run. There were any number of spots for a quick dip or resupply of water. I had filtered water at lunch, so was adequately supplied. I was about two miles up the trail after lunch, when I came upon a gorgeous Black bear. He/she was about 400 pounds, well beyond cub stage. He was busy in the dry bed of the stream , moving rocks aside to look for , I assume, food. This was about the closest I had been to a bear. I made some noise as I got the camera out, which the bear did notice. He seemed essentially disinterested. As I tried to get some decent photos, the batteries ran out on the camera. I crouched behind a log to reload batteries, and while I did so, the bear headed off into the woods up the trail from me. I saw him briefly in the woods, so I headed slowly up the trail, trying to relocate him. As I was walking, I heard a snap over my right shoulder and just behind me. There he was, about 30ft away and sitting and just looking at me! He had doubled around and was staring at me. I checked myself to make sure I hadn't soiled myself and then went to blow on the whistle I carry for emergencies. It's attached to a key ring and a bottle opener....yes, I admit it....I blew on the bottle opener. I think the bear at this point thought I was an idiot. He started making some weird growling/grating noise. I finally blew on the whistle which only slightly startled him and he headed off into the woods, continuing to make the strange noise. I headed off up the trail, figuring our encounter needed to end. The trail continued on up the hollow, crossing Jeremys Run no less than 14 times. Some of the pools were fairly deep and were teeming with small trout about 6 or 7 inches long. Other areas were just dry bed, though I could hear the water flowing underneath. I finally reached the intersection with the Knob Mountain Cutoff Trail, which I had started down earlier in the day. I now trudged back up out of the hollow to the parking area. As I suspected, I was feeling the day's hike going back up to the starting point. The switchbacks helped, and were welcome. A wonderful day with a great hike completed. On my return trip on Skyline Drive, I was able to see yet another bear, though this one was very small and seemed quite scrawny. People were practically wrecking their cars to stop and get a picture. The Park police officer was there, just shaking her head and trying to get people to move along as soon as possible. A group of cyclists practically ran head on into me as they crossed into my lane as they stared at the bear. I leaned on the horn to move the bear along and yelled at the people that they were in the middle of the road. I received some nasty stares except from the Ranger who laughed and moved on in her cruiser. The bear disappeared into the woods to the disappointment of the crowd. If they only knew.

Perfect

Monday's hike was one to put in the top of the memory book. As I mentioned in my last post, I headed out to around Front Royal to hike around the Overall Run Falls section of trails. This hike is described on both of the hiking sites I use (Mid Atlantic Hikes and Hiking Upward). I believe the hike came out to be 8 miles after taking a few side trips and retracing some trail at the end to go swimming in a wonderful swimming hole.
The hike begins along a private gravel road and soon turns onto a side trail leading to the Tuscorora Trail. This trail was quite nicely maintained with some very nice trail work done on it. The intersection with the Tuscorora Trail is easily found. At this point the hike is described as going in a clock wise direction, heading up Matthews Arm toward Overall Run Falls. On my arrival, there were obviously some rowdy people up that way playing in Overall Run. I decided to head in counter clockwise direction in hopes of preserving some solitude as long as possible. I also wanted to save viewing the Falls for the end of the hike, kind of like "the best for last".
The trail meanders alongside Overall Run for quite a while. The woods are pretty dense, and it was a very nice temp. The day was perfect to begin
with. Sunny cloudless skies with temps in the low to mid eighties were had all day. The best part was it was dry! minimal humidity. A godsend! The Tuscorora trail eventually turned and met up with the Beecher Ridge Trail. The beginning of this trail had some slight overgrowth, but nothing serious. The forest here is truly a wonderful sight. Beecher Ridge Trail is a steady climb over two or so miles. The ascent is not to steep, and I found I was able to keep a pretty good pace with a few breaks. The climb is long, however, and it took me an hour and a half to reach the top and the intersection with Matthews Arm Trail and Tuscorora Trail. I met one hiker on her way down Beecher Trail. She passed on news of a large bear in the area along the top of Beecher Ridge. Soon after that, I came by some fresh bear scat on the trail. The bear obviously had no Leave No Trace ethics. Still, no sighting, which I was hoping for. I stopped at the intersection of the Beecher Ridge and Matthews Arm trails to have lunch. It was a nice shaded area, and I took my time. A group of young guys passed by. The were from the Shenandoah National Park YCC (Youth Conservation Corps?) and were out performing trail maintainence.
I continued on the Matthews Arm Trail now heading down Matthews Arm toward Overall Run Falls. The trail reconnected with the Tuscorora Trail as it continued down the mountainside. I ran into a young couple who informed me they had just run into a "cub" farther down the trail. The reports of a large bear and now a cub made me more excited for a bear sighting, but also a bit uneasy if "Momma" bear was out with her cub.
Shortly after getting back on the Tucorora Trail, I came on a nice overlook with a waterfall below. I had hiked to this point over a year ago and thought this was Overall Run Falls. I knew now, with more experience , that there had to be another waterfall. Still, this is a beautiful waterfall, though not too full with the dry weather of the time. The nice thing here is that one is able to get down to the bottom of the falls here and get wet or just see some more beauty. I gladly splashed in the falls a bit to cool off. I followed the stream down a bit and came upon a cliff with a nice vista. Getting out and back on the trail was harder than I thought. I did not realize how far I had gone.
Back on the trail, I was soon to find the waterfall , famous as the tallest in the Shenandoah National Park. The trail broke onto a sweeping overlook and cliff. Beyond the cliff, the Overall Run waterfall tumbled over a cliff to the valley 93 feet below. My vantage point was well above the falls, so the distance was much more incredible to see. Beyond this point I was on, to the west and south , was a gorgeous view of Massanutten Mountain. I could make out Kennedy Peak in the distance, a peak I look forward to climbing soon. Though I could not see the Shenandoah River, I could make out it's snake-like sway in the landscape below the mountain. Beautiful. It was wonderful to have such clear skies. No obstruction because of smog or haze. I stayed here for quite a while, not wanting to give up such a wonderful sight. This will be just gorgeous in the Fall.
The trail was descending fairly sharply after this, but some well place switchbacks helped tremendously. I noticed an unmarked trail that had been worn going straight down the mountainside, slicing through the switchbacks. Erosion was evident because of this trail, I hope trail crews are addressing this. I hope that it was an old trail, but is likely caused by people just disregarding the trail system.
At the bottom of Matthews Arm the trail heads back into dense forest. Again I marveled at how pretty this was. Overall Run ran alongside the trail again, but seemed to be all but dried up at this point. It must stay well below ground, as it was running pretty good when I first started. It was not long after entering the woods here that I finally had my fourth bear sighting of the year. This bear was about 300 lbs. and was lazily foraging in the brush. He had not noticed me. He was about 50yards away, so I had a hard time trying to get a good picture. I kept maneuvering to try and get a better picture. Not to be done. Finally he saw me, as I noticed I had strayed off trail to get closer. Not smart. I have to be more cautious. Still, it was an exilerating experience, and I enjoyed a good 10 minutes or more of just watching this gorgeous animal in it's own habitat. The trail crosses the Overall Run a couple of times, crossings that could be quite wet in wetter times.
Upon returning to my starting point, I continued back on the trail I started on to find the swimming holes that had been mentioned in the hike description. I am so glad I did! These are the most incredible swimming holes! Rocks are worn smooth around them and have wonderful water slides. The three swimming holes are all deep with one over 6 foot deep! After a nice refreshing swim, I was back on the trail, heading back to the car. The swim was invigorating, and I felt I could have tacked on another 5 or 6 miles.
This hike had it all. Perfect weather and temps, wonderful views, and gorgeous forest. The water was wonderful with a spectacular waterfall. Can't wait to re hike this one!!

Time to lace back up

Well, after an ugly hiatus from hiking for the past few weeks, I'm finally going to get back out there again. Tomorrow i have my eyes set on a nice little loop including a section of the Overall Run Trail in the Shenandoah National Park. This hike is featured on the Hiking Upward site which you can link to from this Blog. This hike is 8.5 miles with nearly 2,000 ft elevation gain. I wanted to keep to some lower miles as I have not been on my game lately. I can feel the decrease in strength in my legs after the lengthy break. Weather looks to be pretty nice, and hopefully Overall Run Falls, The highest in the Shenandoah National Park, will be running fairly well.

Next outing

With scheduling looking the way it is right now, it appears the next outing will be another camping trip with the boys. School finishes for both of them on Tuesday, so I'm looking to get them out on Wednesday and Thursday. I want to try a new campground, and am looking at "Gooney Creek Campground" in Front Royal. I have passed this campground a few times in my trips up the valley to hiking destinations. It features numerous creek side sites and has a small camp store and play area. I really want to try and experience different camping areas this year to come up with some favorites to return to. I hope some of my critiques of places will help people consider getting out and try camping as well.
With rising costs of gas and vacation activities, the camping industry appears to be experiencing a resurgence. It is a wonderful way to experience nature and to discover that particular part of the country you live in. Wonderful to see.
I hope to head out to look at expanding our camping gear on Sunday. It is father's Day after all!!

Shawl Gap/ Sherman Gap hike

Well, Saturday still proved to be a bit humid and warm, but better than it had been. I was able to sleep in a bit more than past hikes and still get to the trail head by 0715. I geared up and was off. The trail starts at Elizabeth Furnace in the George Washington National Forest near Front Royal. The ruins of the old furnace are a nice thing to check out This remains my favorite place to go for hiking, camping and picnicking. Passage Creek flows through this area and offers numerous swimming holes to cool off in.
The trail was wet from the previous night thunder storms and was a tad uncomfortable as the trail started very overgrown. Despite rain, Passage Creek was a bit lower than I had seen it before, a testimate to the lack of rain lately. Once I started climbing Massanutten Mountain the trail was better. I forgot how much of a workout this trail is. Still, it allows for a decent pace with normal rest times. I had seen a bear on this trail last year on my return from Buzzard Rocks, and was hoping for a repeat appearance. Not to happen. The trail has a number of nice switchbacks with stones steps and is really nice to hike on. There are some interesting boulder fields and rock formations on the way up as well. I made the summit and intersection of trails in just over an hour.
From here I headed south along the Massanutten trail riding the top of the Mountain for the next two plus miles. The trail swayed back and forth over the summit as it did on Kerns Mountain last week. There were a couple of views to the east and the Shenandoah Mountains and valley below, and to the east of Meneka Peak and Fort valley below. Unfortunately, full leaf coverage and haze obscured a great many views, which was disappointing. This hike would be wonderful for views in early Spring or late Fall and Winter. At a number of spots along rocky patches on the summit, Poison Ivy has completely engulfed the trail...I hate Poison Ivy. I was too far out to turn back, so I carefully stepped my way through it. Hopefully I remain unscathed. There was one last sharp climb to another peak before descending to the next trail intersection. I could see this next prominence from the trail as something to look forward to. The terrain varied a lot up this peak, from Pine forest to scrub, to nice hardwood. Nice mix. A couple of slight views made it a nice climb.
I reached the intersection for the Sherman Gap Trail. From here, I continued on so as to get out to a prominence on the Mountain with apparent overlooks of "The Point", an area of one of the curves of the south fork of the Shenandoah River. The trail to this point was about a half mile further from the intersection I was at. I was disappointed with this part of the trail as it had three different colored blazes on the tree, plus markers from the "Old Dominion 100" long distance race, and still other markers hung by a stable group for their horse walks. It all added up to looking like garbage to me. Anyway, the hike out to the spot mentioned also entailed a sharp little climb. I was soon offered views back along Massanutten Mountain and looking at the peak I had last climbed and the valley of to the east. The trail followed the ridge top, which was exposed to glaring sun. It was pretty hot. The path was choked with wild blueberries but, unfortunately, they still had about another week or so before they would be ripe. There was enough to keep quite a group of hikers happy. I reached the spot for the overlook, but it entailed some bushwhacking through the scrub. Not too bad. The view was very nice, though obscured from leaf cover. I sat for a while and then headed back.
Reaching the intersection for the Sherman Gap trail again, I headed down Massanutten Mountain and my way back to the car. The trail was steep and rocky, making for an uncomfortable journey down. Rocks were frequently loose, causing a few slips here and there. Eventually, the trail's descent became more gradual as it ran north along the lower mountain side. I stopped along the way for lunch and assess the water situation. My hydration pack was empty , but I still had my 2 outboard bottles. I made some Gatorade and pressed on. I eventually came to the intersection with the Botts Trail and my next route. The trail is marked by a small stone memorial to Mr. Botts who was the founder of the OD 100 and maker of the trail. I was not impressed after all the blazes as I noted earlier. Botts Trail follows along Passage Creek and returns to the picnic area at Elizabeth Furnace. I started passing more hikers on the trail and kids playing in the creek. The trail spills out to a parking lot and back to the car where I was parked. It was nice to be finishing up earlier than I had been the past couple of hikes. I considered a dip in the creek, but I wanted to get home. Not a problem, I know I'll be back again soon.

New Poles and next hike

I was very excited to receive a set of Komperdell Trekking poles from my father this week. I had mentioned to him that I had bent my other poles on one of my recent hikes. He had two sets and was not using his Komperdells that much and offered them to me. Great poles!! These are 3 section poles and have replaceable tips and an anti-shock system. A tad heavier than my Summits, but not by much. I can't wait to try these out on my next hike, which comes tomorrow.
My plan is to give the gas tank a rest and head back to Elizabeth Furnace near Front Royal. This will cut my latest travel time in half and allow for an earlier return home. My target is the Shawl Gap/Sherman Gap trails for just under a 10 mile hike. Should feel pretty good after last week. Humidity levels are expected to be lower, so hopefully some good views can be had. Stay tuned.

Strickler Knob

Saturday, June 2nd, marked my biggest hike undertaken to date. I chose, with the help of my friend, Mike, to undertake what he calls the Wil Kohlbrenner Memorial Circuit. This loop starts atCrisman Hollow Road about 2 miles in from Rt. 211. It ascends Kerns Mountain , around to Near Duncan Knob, on to Masanutten Mountain and finally a grueling climb up Waterfall Mountain. I added an additional two miles out and back in order to reach my primary goal of Strickler Knob at the end of Massanutten Mountain. In all, I ended with 14.7 miles!
I got off to a good start, hitting the trail at 7:15 that morning after a two hour car ride. The ascent up kerns Mountain was brief as Crisman Hollow Road is well up into the mountains to begin with. I reached the rideline within 15 minutes and started on what is now my favorite trail hiked. This is part of the massive Massanutten Trail, and is extremely well maintained and blazed. I had seen reviews stating the trail is strenuous, but I found it to be a lot of fun! The trail is rocky in spots, but otherwise great footing. There are nice switchbacks to climb and descents along wonderful rock formations. the trail crisscrosses back and forth over the ridge. Nice views can be seen along the way, many more, I'm sure when leaf cover is less plentiful. The day was hot and humid, and I was grateful for the shade. Haze obscured the views slightly, and would continue to do so for the remainder of the day. I had a good groove going for the pace and I was thoroughly enjoying the hike. I reached Jaw Bone Gap at 9:30, pretty much right on my mark for estimation. It was almost 4.5 miles to that point. I did another half mile out and back to a wonderful overlook with views of Mount Jackson to the west and Duncan Knob to the east. Just gorgeous! I returned to the trail and descended Kerns Mountain to Crisman Hollow Road. along the way, I had what would be the first of three bear sightings that day. I was just realizing the black in the tree I was looking at was a big ball of fur, when it went crashing to the forest floor and took off down the mountain. The bear looked rather small and I started scanning my surroundings for a disgruntled mother bear. I was alone, thankfully. I crossed Crisman hollow Road at the base of Kerns Mountain and stopped at Passage Creek to filter water and have an early lunch. I knew I had a lot of climbing to do for the remainder of the hike. It was early, but I was pretty hungry. I had a tuna fillet in a packet, I think by Bumble Bee Tuna, and it was pretty good along with a dollop of mayo on a kaiser roll. I sat by the creek and ate and counted myself lucky to be able to have the dining environment that I had. I also made and drank down 16oz. of Gatorade. I have come to enjoy that mix and feel better for drinking it when I do.
Lunch over, I hit the trail heading up Gap Creek Trail. Another bear sighting about 15 minutes later, but all I saw was the tail end of the thing running off into the woods. I had passed two other hikers who I could hear talking long before I got to them. I wonder if they know how much they miss by making so much noise. I must say, I do wish I had a hiking partner at times. As I neared the intersection with Scothorn Gap Trail, I had the third encounter with a bear. This was a bout a 300 or so pound bear. I don't think he had noticed me, but he was moving along at a brisk walk. I got a couple of blurred photos from the distance, but was happy just to be able to have watched him for a while. His snout had a white band of fur around it, which I thought interesting. I turned onto Scothorn Gap Trail and continued on. I had been on this trail a little earlier this Spring, but it seemed like a brand new trail to me. It was a little less muddy than before, but there were still some wet spots. One patch showed signs of more bear activity. I must say I was scanning the surroundings a lot more carefully than usual. The trail was a steady but gradual climb. I got a good pace going again and I was getting psyched to try for Strickler Knob. I came to a four way intersection with the Massanutten trail again and turned onto it heading up Massanutten Mountain. The climb became more aggressive hear and I was taking more breaks. The sun was hot and the humidity seemed to be intensifying. I passed a couple of guys running a crosscountry race. They looked like hell. I couldn't even imagine doing that. My ankles hurt watching them go by. I reached the trail head to Strickler Knob. This is an unofficial trail and was blazed in magenta along with purple and red. The sign warned of trail being slippery when wet. the trail was difficult to follow and I wasn't sure about it. It only got worse. The trail was essentially a bushwhack at best with rocky terrain that deteriorated rapidly to rock scrambling and eventually to non technical rock climbing . I went off trail numerous times trying to follow the next blaze which were poorly laid out. I wasn't worried about getting too lost, as the ridge fell off quickly to either side. The trail was a mile out,about a 1/2 mile more than I was anticipating. a little over a half mile out, I noticed storm clouds gathering. I wasn't surprised and actually was welcoming the idea of rain to cool me down. The last spurt to Strickler Knob was hand over foot rock climbing. My trekking poles had become useless. Above me, Turkey Buzzards circled. I finally made it to the end and laughed when I saw a trail log book lashed to a tree. It was a nice break to read the entries and I laughed at some of the comments on the trials it took to get out there. I was happy to sign in. I took my customary "I was here" photo and drank a lot of water as I looked around. Views were incredible, though greatly obscured from haze. I would like to return in cooler weather and the Autumn to take it in. Still, It was pretty impressive. It was also a wake up call to what I had ahead of me, as I looked off to the west at Waterfall Mountain. I now had a mile of rock climbing and bushwhacking back to Massanutten Trail and descend for about 2 miles so I could climb up that mountain. I knew also that that climb would be the toughest part of my day. I headed back with thunder becoming more prevalent and a few rain drops falling. Just as I got out of the major rock formations, the rain came down pretty steadily. It felt wonderful! I knew though, that I did not want to be soaked and having to climb Waterfall Mountain. just as I was getting a bit wet, I came upon a rock formation that offered excellent shelter. I sat on a rock shelf under this and watched the rain come down, now in torrents with frequent, loud thunder. No lightning, thankfully. I took out my first aid kit and tended to a small scratch on my leg and ate some gorp. I was drinking, but now worried about my water supply. The rain let up after about 20 minutes and I resumed my trek out of the Strickler wilderness. The sign proved a good warning as I slipped and fell on a rock at one point. I caught myself just before my face smashed on the rock. I literally could have touched it with my tongue I was so close! I was a bit scared, but more cautious in my footing. I eventually got to the trail head, a bit easier now that I had passed on this trail coming out. I still got off trail a couple of times. Strickler Knob was a done deal and well worth the trip!!
Back on Massanutten Trail, I again descended that mountain. Another racer passed me. He looked so beat up, I almost asked him if he needed help. he looked to be in his late 50's early 60's. There was not an ounce of body fat on that man. His legs looked like raw muscle moving. Still, his face betrayed his sheer exhaustion. He was out of sight within a couple of minutes. He never tripped or faltered. Amazing. I turn one my ankles afew times just hiking. I reached the trail intersection with Scothorn Gap again, and turned south down between Massanutten and Waterfall Mountains. My feet were soaked now with rain from the leaves and muddy trails. I had not brought my usual change of socks. Not sure if it would have helped. My feet were becoming sore, and the miles were catching up with me. The trail was lush green and I was deep in the canopy of woods. Waterfall Mountain kept rising higher and higher to my right. I started hearing flowing water and eventually could make a stream out far below me on the left. I was hoping to get there to filter. I was drinking more now. I checked the map, and noticed a stream marked where I was heading that I had missed earlier. I finally crossed it, stopping to filter another liter. Now I was ready to hit the mountain. I would be remiss if I did not mention a number of other encounters I had along the trail, bioth here and a couple of times along Kerns Mountain. Female Grouse. these birds have just hatched there young and are very protective. They are also very loud with a hissing noise. I reference the reader here to my fear of snakes. One bird was only a few feet away from me when she flared her plumes and started hissing and running toward me! I am amazed this time at how fast I could move at that level of fatigue. I love to see different creatures in their habitats, but I truly wanted to kill that bird when I recovered myself.
I reached the base of Waterfall Mountain and the trail split down towards Rt.211. I rested for a minute, getting psyched up for the climb. I began the assault which immediately started steeply.... it stayed that way. The climb became brutal! I was stopping every 20 feet or so at times to catch my breath. a couple of small switch backs offered slight relief. There are no waterfalls on Waterfall Mountain. The waterfall is from the hiker climbing that trail. I was more wet from sweat than form any rain earlier! Every time I looked ahead of me the trail seemed to climb forever as it disappeared into the forest above me. I finally dragged my ass to the summit and I was exhausted. I have never been so happy to reach a point on the trail then at that time! I looked behind me to the trail disappearing into the forest below me. I think I drank a good half liter of water there! The trail now followed the ridge line south. It was smooth packed and lined with mountain laurel. My feet were burning now. I came upon a small overlook to the west and Strickler Knob was in the distance. The whole day and what I had just accomplished washed over me. What a great feeling! What wonderful things I had seen and experienced! The trail meandered along the ridge fora short while, until suddenly I walked out onto Crisman Road directly across from the car. My journey was finished. I had completed the longest, hardest hike to date. I was thrilled with it all. The fatigue felt well earned and like something I wanted to pin to my pack for others to see. I drove out and at times could make out Strickler Knob off to the west. Returning to Rt. 211, the road headed back down towards Luray. As I reached level land, Strickler Knob Rose high above me to the north on Massanutten Mountain. The knob was shrouded in the haze that had, earlier in the day, obscured my views of the valley I was now in. Time to go home.

Fridley Gap Hike

Once again, the review of a hike comes out well after I have done the deed. I post this hike having now completed yet an even bigger hike just yesterday. That posting, too, will take a few days to get up. None the less, it is a labor of love, as it is a lot of fun to talk about these hikes.
I took advantage of the long Memorial Day weekend to get in a nice day of hiking. I headed out to tackle the Fridley Gap trail near Shenandoah, Virginia. The hike runs along the Massanutten South Trail and loops back via the Fridley Gap Trail. The hike included almost 3,000ft of elevation change and traversed Third and Fourth Mountains. You would think someone could have come up with some more imaginative names. Yes, First and Second Mountains are there as well.
I made the 2 hour trip without any problems, the sun a hazy orange ball rising in what promised to be a warm Virginia day. I missed my turn off in Shenandoah, but quickly recovered and found my way to the trail head. I was off on the trail quickly after parking, and feeling excited about the hike. My pack felt so much lighter after backpacking a couple of weeks earlier.
Massanutten South Trail starts along the fire road and heads into the woods , running along Boone's Run. The trail climbed steadily, but not too steeply. It kept to Boone's Run most of the way. The sound of the water flow was strong initially, then gradually faded as the stream became smaller towards the top. The trail was rocky in spots, enough so to need to concentrate on foot placement at times. Just above a cut off trail to Kaylor Knob, there was a huge blowdown across the trail. No access around the trunk, so I had to scale it to get over. I finally arrived at the intersection with the Fridley Gap Trail. I got my first spotting of Honeysuckle (?) here. It would be prevalent for a good portion of the remainder of the hike. It was very fragrant, and the sweet smell carried in the air. I stopped for a bit at the intersection to rest and eat a snack. I rechecked my maps and location. The sun was up and I could tell the difference in temps, especially at that intersection of trail which was not in the tree cover. I double checked my water options, but I was not worried.
I continued on, summiting Third Mountain a short time later. I had cell service so I called to say good morning to my wife and my neighbor Jay, who had hoped to be hiking with me that day. The trail was a fire road at this point with easy footing. The way started to descend Third Mountain and I could catch glimpses of some nice vista through the trees to the west. Without tree cover, there would be some pretty nice views, making this a hike to think about in colder seasons. What was easy to see, was Fourth Mountain towering up nearby. I knew that was going to be the next task once I reached the bottom of the ravine I was heading down into and crossed Fridley Run. Third Mountain had not been too bad and I pretty stoked to hit Fourth Mountain. After crossing Fridley Run, the trail ran along this little stream for a time. I was back in the tree cover of the woods, and in cooler temps (relatively, it had gotten pretty warm at that point). I approached an opening and came on a small boulder field. Pretty neat the way this was just tucked away on the side of the Mountain. Just past this area, the ascent of Fourth Mountain began at a good clip. There was a few switchbacks on the climb which I was happy to see. Still, it was a strong climb and really got the heart pumping! I was able to look over and see Third Mountain and where I had been a little while earlier. The trail turns just below the summit and begins it's descent back down Fourth. There was nice camp site near the beginning of the descent with a well established fire ring. Along the way down I came across another hiker sitting in the middle of the trail, taking a break on his journey up. He was a nice man in his late 50's to early 60's. His completion of the trails there that day marked a miles tone...he had hiked every trail in the Massanutten Mountains. He had been working at it for quite some time. It was great talking with him, and we chatted for about 20 minutes or so before we decided to move on. He warned me about the climb I was facing back up Third Mountain later. I knew it was supposed to be the toughest ascent from the hike description I had printed out.
The trail descended more sharpley, and within about 20 minutes I was down in Fridley Gap and was reunited with Fridley Run. The water looked so inviting! At Fridley Gap I came to a beautiful swimming hole. The trail crossed the Run by having to cross a fallen tree. There was a nice camp site here as well. I had planned on this spot for lunch, and my timing was pretty good. It was about 11:30 when I got there. The swimming hole was picture perfect! A wonderful waterfall flowed into it and the water was about 5 to 6 feet deep. Crystal clear. I took off the boots and donned my Crocs. The water was ice cold but I soaked my feet and legs for a while. It felt fabulous! I ate lunch and then filtered some water to be ready for the return trip. The hiker I ran into had suggested a spring somewhere over Third Mountain, but I did not want to start my last assault of Third Mountain with less than a full supply of water. I also made up and drank some Gatorade. I felt ready to move on. As soon as I hit the trail, the climb started. There was no breaking in period for this one! Not 3 minutes after leaving the Gap, I heard the shouts of a group of younger kids at the swimming hole. I'm glad my time there had not been disturbed by them. The climb was fairly steep, and there were no switchbacks, other than some minor wavering in the trail. Cruel. I was swearing at the builders of the trail. Definite mean streak. As I climbed, I could look over at Fourth Mountain again and see up where I had been. I was glad to have accomplished that. I was going for the water pretty frequently, and had to stop for quick breathers just as often. At one point I thought I was summiting the thing, but it was a cruel trick of the eyes. I finally reached the top after almost 45 minutes. The sun poured through the trees at the top, and it was roasting!! I looked around for the lung I had coughed up getting there. I think I drank almost half my water getting to the top! I took some time to get my wind back, but then moved out. there was little in the way of shade, and the temps were getting pretty hot. I was wishing I was back at the swimming hole again. The descent was not too bad. I was anticipating some weak knees heading down, but I was feeling pretty strong. The trail turned right at Martin's Bottom Trail onto a fire Road. The road was completely exposed to the sun and I baked as I made a steady climb back along Third Mountain towards the intersection I has passed through earlier in the day. I finally reached the intersection and was happy to get back into the tree cover heading back down along Boone's Run. Now I was feeling the fatigue in my legs. I met up with two horseback riders at the intersection heading up to Kaylor Knob. This was a real treat to be behind these smelly animals as they pooped their way along the trail and muddied up the water as they crossed the Run a few times. The bug population was noticeably larger. I was even more ecstatic when I inhaled a couple of the gnats flying about. I secretly rejoiced when one of the horses threw a shoe and the owner was dismayed that they would have to cut their ride short. I held up at a small waterfall in hopes of dosing my head. As I rock hopped toward the falls, my legs got tangled in my trekking poles. I fell forward and caught myself. Unfortunately, one of the poles was bent almost in an "L" shape. I was able to bend it back almost straight, but it's days are numbered. I will use them until I can get a new pair.
Finally, I reached my car. I was very happy with my accomplishment. It had been a wonderful adventure with beautiful scenery. I exited on Cub Run Rd. to avoid the Memorial day festivities in Shenandoah. This road took me out by the Catherine Furnace. I stopped to check this wonderful historical site out. Wonderful history and it seemed to be the icing on the cake for my day. It reminded me of home, where we have a furnace called Beckley Furnace. Great outing!!